Caster glides



March 7, 1961 2,973,545

M. KRAMCSAK, JR

CASTER GLIDES Filed Aug. 25, 19.58

EN @mili vllllllillillll/ CASTER GLIDES Michael Kramcsak, Jr., Bridgeport,rConn., assigner to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Aug. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 756,981

1 Claim. (Cl. 16-42) This invention relates to caster glides and more particularly to a glide of the tiltable type, The glide is gen erally similar to a type well known in the art in which a smooth-bottomed lower cup-shaped base retains an upstanding resilient cushion and in which the cushion supports a leg supporting plate and retainer having peripheral projections engaging the inner surface of a hollow round furniture leg. j

It is of primary importance that tiltable glides be sturdy and durable, yet smooth and positive in operation.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved glide of this general character which presents a more inexpensive, yet more reliable and trouble-free characteristic.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in a tiltable glide of an improved swivel supporting and swivel limiting means carried by the resilient cushion and base.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a reliable, trouble-free structural supporting means which at the same time provides an attractiveappearance for the glide as well as a protecting shield for the base and cushion.

Other objects and various features of the invention will be appreciated upon a perusal of the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevation views of one form Y of the invention with the leg supporting components in a tilted position and in a vertical position respectively;

`Fig. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation view of another form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an elevation view, partially in section, illustrating the embodiment of Fig. 4 supporting a typical furniture leg; and

Fig. 6 is an elevation view, partially in section, of the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The guide selected for illustration has a smooth-bottomed metallic cup-shaped base 1 (Fig. 1) having an upstanding side wall or rim 2 in which is received an enlarged lower portion 3 of an elastic cushion 4 made preferably of rubber. The rim 2 and the cushion portion 3 have a generally semi-toroidal conguration, with the rim 2 tightly engaging and retaining the portion 3. The upper end of the rim 2 is received in a circumferential groove 5 centrally disposed in the cushion 4.

A dome-shaped swivel 6 having a lower outwardly extending circumferential ange 7 is received in an annular groove 8 in the upper face of the cushion 4. A leg supporting plate 9 is swivelably carriedby the upper domeshaped portion of the swivel 6. The plate 9 includes a lower cylindrical portion 10 and an upper dome-shaped portion 11. The lower end of the cylindrical portion 10 supports an outwardly projecting annular flange 12. An

upwardly projecting circumferential flange .43 s provided at the outer periphery of the ange 12. .i

A generally umbrella-shaped retainer 13 is carried on the upper dome-shaped portion 11 of the leg supporting plate 9. The retainer 13 is preferably of a metallic spring material and is provided with four equally .spaced peripheral projections 14. The projections are turned down-v wardly and taper to sharp points which are especially effective in locking the glide to a furniture leg as will be described later.

An elongated upright stem 15 projects through apertures 16, 17, 18 and 19 respectively in the cushion 4, the swivel 6, the supporting plate 9, and the retainer 13. The lower end of the stem 15 is enlarged to form a head 2i). The head 20 is received in a central counterbore 21 on the lower face of the cushion 4. The upper portion 22 of the head 20 is generally cylindrical with a ilat upper face engaging the cushion 4. A generally truncated-spherical lower portion 23 is provided on the head 20". The radius of curvature of the peripheral sides of the lower portion 23 provide a smooth rolling surface for the stem 15 when it is tilted in any direction incident to tilting of the furniture leg from a substantially vertical position. The lower dat surface 24 of the stem 15 is normally urged by the cushion 4 into engagement with the upper central surface of the base 1 to position the stern 15 in a Vertical plane. The main body of the stem is circular in cross section and is snugly received in the cushion aperture 16. The swivel aperture 17 is coaxial with and a predeter-` mined amount larger than the stem 15. The stem is also received snugly in the support plate and retainer apertures 18 and 19. The upper end of the stem 15 is staked over the upper surface of the retainer 13 with the cushion 4 in a compressed condition so that retainer 13, the support plate 9, the swivel 6 and the cushion 4 are retained in a tight yet yielding engagement with each other.

Inasinuch as the retainer 13 and the support plate 9 snugly receive the stem 15, the stem 15 will follow any tilting movement of the plate, for example, to the position shown in Fig. 1. The' aperture 17 of the swivel 6 will determine the limits of the tilting movement by the en. gagement of stem 15 with the peripheral edge of the aperture. The cushion 4 which is under compression will retain the swivel 6 in the position shown in Fig.y 2 under all normal conditions of use and even under abnormal conditions within limits.

However, when the stem 15 tilts, the head 20 and the body portion, received in the cushion 4, deform the cushion as shown in Fig. 1. The deformed portion creates a bias force which will urge the stem to a vertical position when the tilting force Ais removed.

The deformed portion ofr the cushion 4 displays little tendency to tilt the swivel 6. Similarly, the configurations of swivel 6 and the support plate 9 have been found to present an unusually desirable universal swivel with smooth reliable pivotal movement.

The embodiment disclosed in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is generally similar to that disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Hence, similar parts will be given similar numbers with the hundred digit 1 prexed thereto. Hence, the caster glide of Figs. 4-6 includes a base 101, a cushion 104, a swivel 106, a leg supporting plate 1119, a retainer 113 and a stem 115 similar to the corresponding elements of Figs. 1-3.

However, the embodiment of Figs. 4-6 is also provided with an inverted generally cup-shaped shield 130. The shield has an upper base 131 carried by the cushion 104. A downwardly projecting annular depression 132 is providedon the base 131 and is received in the annular recess 108 on the upper face of the cushion 104. At the outer periphery of the base 131, the4 shield 130--is provided with a` generallytrun with and tightly engages the upper tapered peripheral' wall 135 of the cushion. 104. The lower peripheralwall portion 136 of` the shield 130 presents a vertical cylindrical surface partially enclosing and slightly spaced' from the base 101.

A ange 107 on the swivel 106 is received in the depression 132 of the shield 130. The shield 130 provides greater structural rigidity and protection to the caster glide and at the same time presents a more attractive appearance.

IFig.y 5 discloses a typical hollow furniture leg with which thecaster glide'of thepresent invention has beenV adapted for use. However, the` invention is not to be limited to use therewith. The leg 14% presentsa cylindrical thin-walled cross section. The outer periphery ofthe leg 140 ts snugly against the inner periphery of theange 143 of the support plate 109. The leg 140 is pressed downwardly over the retainer 113 to compress the projections 114 inwardly. The leg 140 isv pressed into tight engagement with thev flanges 112; and 143 of the support plate 109. The projections 114 bite. into the inner peripheral surface 141 of the leg 140 prevent ing withdrawal of the leg 140 from the support plate 109.-

Thus, it can be seen that if the leg 140 is tilted, the support plate 109 will pivot on its swivel 106. The stern 11S will rock on the lower curved surface 123 of its head portion 120 and diametrically opposite. therefrom will deform the cushion 104-upwardly.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the tilting-will beV limited by the size of the aperture17 in the swivel 6. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4-6, the maximum amount ofl tilt may be limited in the same manner or alternatively by controlling `the size of the aperture138 (Fig. 6) in the central portion of the base 131,0f the shield 130. Hence, the stem 115 may engage either,

or both the swivel 109 and the shield 130 to limit tilting action.

While there has been described what is at. present believed to be the preferred embodimentsofthe invention, it will be understood that various changes -and modiications may be made therein; and it is contemplated to cover in the appended claims all'such changes and modi-A fications as fall'within the true spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What isclaimed is-:

A tiltable caster glide comprising a disk-like cushionof a resilient material having a central bore, a shallow counterbore on its lower face and a shallow annular recess on its upper face spaced from the bore, a rigid cup-shaped hoor-engaging; base: retaining the cushion therein, a hollow axially elongated dome-shaped metallic swivel having a lower circumferential flange, an inverted lgenerally cup-shaped .shieldformedy withA a central aperture, and interposed betweenthe cushion and swivel and having an annular depression substantially mating with and retained in the cushion recess and receiving and retaining the' swivel ange', anK axially elongated inverted cup-shaped support plate vwithits lower end engaging the swivel substantially in a line contact at a position substantially above the cushion for smooth swiveling movement through a substantial angle, a circumferential load supporting ange at'the lower end of the support plate and a central aperture at itsiupper end, a retainer of metallic spring material receivedon the support plate having furniture leg engagingv projections at its outer periphery-and having aA central aperture, an elongated steml received through and engaging the cushion bore and the support plate, shieldand'retainer aperturesland received through the swivel aperture in spaced relation with the periphery thereof, the stern` having a lower enlarged bead portion received in the counterbore and having a truncated spherical lower-.surface permitting smoothlswiveling movement onthe base, the stem having ax deformed upper end, compressing the cushion, swivel, support plate, shield andretainer into. yieldingly tight engagement .for smooth v swiveling movement .of the stem, supportfplate and retainer as. a` unitv about the swivel;

ReferenceslCite'inthe tile ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,332,605' Child Mar. '2, 1920 2,169,145 Herold Aug. 8, 1939' 2,172,004 Anderson Sept. 5, 1939V 2,618,009 Tinnerman Nov. l8, 19'52 2,738,541 Thornsbury Mar. 20, 1956 2,757,407 Kramcsak Aug. 7, 1956 2,857,616 Becker Oct. 28,V 1958 

